Description
This vibrant homemade cranberry sauce balances tart cranberries with sweet orange flavors for a perfect holiday side that’s ready in minutes. Far superior to store-bought versions with its fresh, bright taste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup sugar
- â…“ cup fresh orange juice
- â…” cup water
- Zest from one orange
Instructions
- Prepare the Base Mixture: In a medium pan, combine water, sugar, orange juice, and orange zest over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar completely dissolves, creating a sweet syrupy base that will balance the tartness of the cranberries.
- Add Cranberries: Add the fresh cranberries to the pan and stir to coat them evenly with the sweet liquid mixture. This ensures that each cranberry will cook properly and absorb the orange flavor.
- Simmer Until Thickened: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You’ll hear the cranberries pop and burst as they cook, which is exactly what you want – this releases their natural pectin that helps thicken the sauce.
- Cool Before Serving: After 15 minutes, remove the sauce from heat and let it cool completely. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, developing into the perfect consistency for serving.
Notes
- This cranberry sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For variations, try adding cinnamon sticks, star anise, or a splash of bourbon during cooking. The natural pectin in cranberries means this sauce will gel naturally without additives.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauces-condiments
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg